Cheapest place to buy tools online?

[alexclark]

Hey all, where do you buy your tools from?

I have recently used Tools4Trade Makita,Dewalt,Trend,Dormer,Draper,Festool,Marshalltown,3-in-1,A.E.G. Tools,ABS,Abus,Abus Spares,Advent,Aerosol,Allen,ALM,Bahco,Bailey,Bakers,Bessey,Black & Decker,Blackedge,Bosch,Bostik,Bostitch,Brennenstuhl,Britool,Briwax,Brummer,Bulldog,Byron,Campi

they are the cheapest place i have found. however, i have found their service to be shocking.

the first batch i ordered they advertised as 24-48 hours delivered....they came 11 days later

the second batch i ordered 8 items, 1 item was heavily advertised as including a free junior hacksaw which i needed (after you click into the description it says in very small writing free tool may vary) so i stupidly assumed this would come, but no a set of cheap grips came instead, they gave me rad bleed keys instead of a rad spanner key and they forgot to send 1 of the items out of the 8. and they are so slow to reply to emails.

needless to say i wont be using them again, where are you buying your tools from?

Alex

 

[Phil]

Big flashy looking website but probably run from some guys spare bedroom. Zero stock held, you buy off him and he orders it.

FFX, Powertools Pro, TradeTiler. Basically where ever is cheapest.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

heavens how far did you have to dig to find that post ?

 

[Ermintrude]

Tool monkey post stuff so quick sets post box onfire! I always like to touch stuff before I buy. Some times check it out at suppliers then hunt about if tool is more than £50.

 

[Ray Stafford]

Some times check it out at suppliers then hunt about if tool is more than £50.

On behalf of stockists everywhere, I want to share how much we love it when people do that.

 

[Ermintrude]

U probably stock decent kit at reasonable cef wanted nearly £400 for drill , bought from tool monkey saved 125! I buy all my hand tools from crossings ! Once got a milwakiee m18 bare jigsaw for ..... £45 inc!

Most national merchants stock rothenburger carp and want top dollar. 3 flux brushes £2.30 ..... Local DIY store (independent ) 30p each . But not everyone has independent.

 

[Ray Stafford]

U probably stock decent kit at reasonable cef wanted nearly £400 for drill , bought from tool monkey saved 125! I buy all my hand tools from crossings !

Most national merchants stock rothenburger carp and want top dollar. 3 flux brushes £2.30 ..... Local DIY store (independent ) 30p each . But not everyone has independent.

We gave up stocking power tools completely a few years ago - it just wasn't worth tying up working capital in such high value stock, with paper-thin margins, only to be undercut by the internet jockeys.

One of the reasons that merchants like Rotherberger is because it hasn't been completely destroyed online. And some of their kit is excellent - I don't think there is a better product on their sector than a superfire 2 or a rofrost turbo.

Admittedly some of it is pretty ordinary now - imported from the far east with a red box wrapped round it.

 

[Dickie]

I thought most Rothy tools were re-badged & manufactured by others??!!
Plenty good Plumbers' tools around, but merchants just stock Rothy carp because they can make gook profit on it.

Very few merchants even stock Monument tools now!

 

[Ray Stafford]

Plenty good Plumbers' tools around, but merchants just stock Rothy carp because they can make gook profit on it.

True. How long would we be in business stocking products that we couldn't make a profit on?

 

[Dickie]

True. How long would we be in business stocking products that we couldn't make a profit on?

Very true dear boy, but the first rule of sales is stock what people want to buy, it's not a recurring item on your stock-taking list & the profits will follow. Just a though.

 

[Ray Stafford]

but the first rule of sales is stock what people want to buy, it's not a recurring item on your stock-taking list & the profits will follow. Just a though.

A commonly held misconception, but a misconception nonetheless.

Chasing sales and assuming that profits will follow is just a short-cut to the bankruptcy court.

 

[Dickie]

A commonly held misconception, but a misconception nonetheless.

Chasing sales and assuming that profits will follow is just a short-cut to the bankruptcy court.

Ah, keeping customers & keeping customers happy getting in the way of running a successful business, eh Ray???!! Yes, sounds like the typical merchants' mantra!!
A close personal friend of mine is a Director of the best indie Plumbers' Merchants in Scotland, he asks his customers what he should stock & you can go into any of their trade counters at any time, it'll be 5 deep. A wonderful supplier & very highly respected staff. Not too strange to say they don't stock Rothy tools.

If I went to one of my customers with no choice of products, a Henry Ford model T approach to business, I'd be quickly shown the door!!!

 

[Dickie]

Talking of Merchants, anyone still shopping at Bum Center?? I've not done business with them for years. A prime example of a good merchant gone bad.

 

[Ermintrude]

Also good example of buy lots get cheap. Buy 100' s of boilers from them but getting a better deal from independent as plumbs just hiked prices again...... Soon all we will be buying from them is jet blue and cb flux. Some independents must have a redemption scheme, we can't get near them in Henrad ..... We buy from the same wholesale place! Also their tube is ludicrously cheap.

 

[Destroyer2813]

Can be that good customer service if you have to wait 5 deep waste quarter of your day there just like plumb center

 

[Ermintrude]

Can be that good customer service if you have to wait 5 deep waste quarter of your day there just like plumb center

Get free coffee at some.... Before taps went bust used to get sarnies!

 

[Ray Stafford]

Ah, keeping customers & keeping customers happy getting in the way of running a successful business, eh Ray???!!

The two aren't mutually exclusive, and somehow we seem to have managed to keep our customers coming back for over 40 years.

I will happily listen to customers, but I won't let them make critical decisions about my business any more than you let your customers make critical decisions about your business.

 

[Dickie]

Can be that good customer service if you have to wait 5 deep waste quarter of your day there just like plumb center

Of course I'd not wait in any Q Destroyer dear boy, that for their unorganised customers, for whom the alternative is the poorly trained counter rats working for the nationals, a fate worse than death!!

 

[Dickie]

The two aren't mutually exclusive, and somehow we seem to have managed to keep our customers coming back for over 40 years.

I will happily listen to customers, but I won't let them make critical decisions about my business any more than you let your customers make critical decisions about your business.

That's good Ray, so you'd take it onboard if a customer told you Rothy tools are carp??
And the high margins & rebates would not cloud your judgement?

 

[Ermintrude]

Lads on counter are not rats! They are nice people and if you talk to them they are nice. Not paid a lot..... No need to rub it in!

Bloke I did a course with was in asking for a male to female 1/2 iron adaptor.... What he actually wanted was 1/2 female to 15mm comp. he was really rude to lads and when he left they said he was always awful and a complete brick.
I get stuff delivered to my merchants from other retailers and eBay. Lads are sound about it.... Cost me a sarnie now and again but prefer banter to sitting in contract back office with some lowlife who couldn't lie straight in bed.

 

[Ray Stafford]

That's good Ray, so you'd take it onboard if a customer told you Rothy tools are carp??
And the high margins & rebates would not cloud your judgement?

Do a search on this site for "best boiler". You will find a complete range of opinions, with skilled and experienced blokes saying that such-and-such a brand is rubbish, and they only fit x-y-z. Then the next bloke says the complete opposite.

So which of these customers do you believe? Do you stock everything, or nothing? I've learned that its not so important to watch what people SAY, its what they DO that counts.

If we stock a completely rubbish product, no one will buy it, so it doesn't matter what our margin is - 100% of £0 is £0.

If we stock a brilliantly popular product, on which we can't make any margin, then is doesn't matter how popular it is - 0% of £1million is still £0.

Like most things in life, you have to find a balance. In some product sectors, there simply isn't a balance to be found, so we don't stock them at all.

 

[Gas]

A lot of the guys and gals on the counters around here are part time staff, doing Degrees/Masters and PHDs in the local university, you give them the number of the product and they will go get it for you, they are not paid, nor is it within their job description to start giving technical advice on products and start advising anyone on what them may or may not need for any given job.

Calling them rats just show massive contempt for your fellow man and that is nothing short of disgusting behavior.

 

[tamz]

A lot of the guys and gals on the counters around here are part time staff, doing Degrees/Masters and PHDs in the local university, you give them the number of the product and they will go get it for you, they are not paid, nor is it within their job description to start giving technical advice on products and start advising anyone on what them may or may not need for any given job.

Calling them rats just show massive contempt for your fellow man and that is nothing short of disgusting behavior.

You don't get students working part time in merchants (well none that i've ever been in) and you don't give them product numbers.
World of a difference between a merchant and a stock shifter like screwfix or the likes.

 

[Gray0689]

Ah, keeping customers & keeping customers happy getting in the way of running a successful business, eh Ray???!! Yes, sounds like the typical merchants' mantra!!
A close personal friend of mine is a Director of the best indie Plumbers' Merchants in Scotland, he asks his customers what he should stock & you can go into any of their trade counters at any time, it'll be 5 deep. A wonderful supplier & very highly respected staff. Not too strange to say they don't stock Rothy tools.

If I went to one of my customers with no choice of products, a Henry Ford model T approach to business, I'd be quickly shown the door!!!

Your telling ray how to run a plumbing merchants now
My god you really are a stupid dickie

 

[Deleted member 32524]

One thing that gets on my nerves is the fact that merchants try and pull your pants down sometimes. They give you a good price on some things then the next thing you are asking for is twice the price as a competitor. So, shopping around is a good idea. I understand the loss leader idea of the merchants and some will sell some stuff at cost or a loss to get you in and obviously buying power has a lot to do with it. Recently when I phone my local independent he gave me a quote twice the prices I paid at a national. Then today it was the other way about? Shopping around makes sense and I am sorry if it upsets the merchant me price checking them, but it is tough the now and I need to be as competitive as I can be and my bottom line has been cut and the merchant prices have only gone up!!

What about the idea of a buying co-op with the guys on here by post code and take our collective buying power to one merchant who can be trusted to offer us the best possible price or we go somewhere else.

BTW Dickie your attitude is a little coarse. You may be old but you do not know EVERYTHING. An apprentice could teach you a few things and why is that an embarrassment? Everyone learns something new everyday and may need reminded at a later date that they already knew it.